Vale
by lyart
Summary: A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. 8x5.


"Vale" is Latin for "goodbye".  
The song used in this is "My Home, Sweet Home", from Final Fantasy V, and is generally considered to be Bartz's theme song. If you get a chance, check out the arranged version from the Final Fantasy N Generation soundtrack, it's really quite pretty.**  
Setting**: After the end of Final Fantasy Dissidia**.  
Pairing**: Squall x Bartz (8x5)

* * *

"So far away from my home, sweet home  
"Day by day, from land to land I roam  
"Though told by the wind which way to go  
"Oh, how I long for my home, sweet home."

Someone was singing.

Squall opened his eyes, gazed upon fog and nothing but. What surrounded him was unclear, but the melody carried on, clear and simple, not muffled. He glanced down at more fog, and stepped forward, not sure what he was walking on, just that it was supporting his weight easily enough. He recalled vanishing, thinking of home, of Balamb Garden, but also of those whom he was leaving behind, those who had fought alongside him and who he had fought alongside in return.

He paused as he saw something distinctive in the fog. It was a person, up ahead, back turned towards him. They seemed to be sitting on the fog, and gazing at something. The melody was stronger, and Squall walked slowly closer, but realized it wasn't coming from the figure, seeming to echo from the fog all around them.

The person turned their head, blinked in surprise and Squall did the same.

"Hey," said Bartz with a smile, "it's a nice song, isn't it?"

"Who's singing it?" Squall asked in response, walking closer to him, somewhat glad to see him, though still puzzled. Weren't they supposed to be home now? This foggy place—it was definitely not home, Squall knew that much, but he strangely didn't feel too bothered. Something was in that song, simple and calming, and he had the feeling he'd be going soon enough.

"Can't you tell?" Bartz's hands folded, rested between his knees and he laughed. "It's definitely Cosmos."

"Cosmos…" Squall only recalled watching in horror as she faded away. "…that's silly, Bartz."

"Is it? She left us these crystals; her power was in 'em." Bartz combed a hand through his brown hair, smiling. "I have a feeling that she's alright, somehow, and this song is her way of saying 'bye' to us. And maybe it's a 'thank you', as well."

"This isn't a dream, then."

"I don't think so." Bartz hopped off the fog he had been 'sitting' on, turning to face Squall. "I think she knew that, well…leaving things as they were, it wasn't really…_finished_—for me, anyway."

Squall tilted his head slightly, gazed at him with incomprehension. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well…y'know." Bartz grinned helplessly and shrugged. "I think she knew I still had things I wanted to say to you before—but, well, couldn't, things being as they were." He scratched at the back of his neck, smiling and gazing off into the fog surrounding them as if seeing something else. Squall gazed at him.

"What things?" Squall frowned a little bit at him, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Don't do that," said Bartz with a grin, tapping between his own eyebrows with an index finger, "you'll get wrinkles." Squall sighed, giving him an exasperated look. "Heh. Well, I mean, I wanted to thank you for looking out for me."

Squall arched a brow slightly at him, sceptical. "That's nothing to thank me for," he said simply, "you did the same for me. Everyone looked out for each other, Bartz."

"No, no…I mean…" Bartz floundered for a moment. "It's, um, different. Special." He grinned, looking down, looking a bit apprehensive. Squall stepped closer to him, frowning a little bit and quietly confused by his words. "_You're_ special!" He paused, scratched the side of his neck sheepishly. "To, uh, me."

Squall paused and looked at him, as though honestly confused by the statement. Then, it seemed to sink in and something in his usually serious face softened somewhat. "Bartz…"

"And! And…I didn't know if I was gonna get a chance to tell you and, well, I didn't, and then you were disappearing," Bartz continued, his words coming all out in a rush, before he lost the nerve to say them. "So, I guess Cosmos' must've felt that and brought you here, and, yeah! You're…I like you a lot, a _real_ lot. I wouldn't have given you my feather to look after otherwise." He took a deep breath, opening his mouth as if to continue on or apologize if he was just totally creeping Squall out, but paused as a gloved finger pressed against his lips.

"I get it," Squall said firmly, but there was a gentle inflection to the words. "I get it, Bartz." Bartz blinked at him and the other stepped closer, sliding his arms around him.

Squall awkwardly hugged Bartz to his body and the other seemed to freeze, surprised, for a moment. Then, he relaxed, his chin burrowing into the fur collar of Squall's jacket. His arms circled around Squall's waist, holding him tight. Bartz squeezed his eyes tightly shut, taking in this moment, storing it away, wanting to remember it forever.

"We'll see each other again someday, right?" Bartz said next to his ear.

"Mm," Squall agreed quietly. Though he said this, he wondered if they would ever see each other again. Or even remember each other, when they went back home. Would they return to their normal lives, never remembering the fantastic events that had taken place here, and thinking of each other in the past tense? Or, would they forget their friends? Squall's arms tightened around Bartz instinctively. He wouldn't, he vowed to himself.

"I think it's time for me to go," Bartz said quietly, his voice practically just a breath. Squall turned his head and saw that the other was fading around the edges, looking strange and insubstantial, a faint light surrounding his body. Squall looked down at himself and saw the same thing happening, unconsciously clenching his hands into fists.

'_It doesn't matter if he'll be here tomorrow,'_ Squall thought, told himself firmly, _'we'll see each other again.'_

"One last thing, before I go," Bartz said, and some cheer had returned to his voice, his eyes shining slightly. He leaned in and Squall blinked at the sensation of a warm mouth pressed against his, hair intermingling for a moment, breaths briefly exchanged. "A kiss." When he drew back, he stared at Squall expectantly, his eyes shining a little bit. The faintness of his body seemed to be increasing, as well as the glow.

"…next time," Squall said after a short pause. Bartz blinked at him.

"Huh?"

"Next time we see each other," Squall said steadily, "then I'll give you one back."

"What? No fair!" Bartz laughed and scratched his head with a grin. "You better find a way to come and see me soon, then, Squall!" He stepped back then, smiling broadly and placing his hands on his hips. "It's a promise, right?"

"A promise," Squall agreed without a moment's hesitation. "I'll see you soon, Bartz."

Bartz smiled and lifted his hand, waving it in farewell as they faded away into the fog.

The last strains of the music followed in their wake.

"Forest, stream  
"Sky and earth  
"Everyone is waiting  
"Waiting for your return."

* * *


End file.
